Vol 2 Chapter 66: Balkan
When the Battle of Constantinople was in full swing, Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Metev was leaving Sofia in secret, accompanied by Cabinet Minister and Minister of Education Chekov.
It is definitely a big deal for Bulgaria to be able to dispatch two giants of Bulgarian politics together at the same time!
Metev on the train said worriedly, "Mr. Chekov, I am afraid that this trip to Vienna will not be smooth sailing!"
Chekov nodded and said, "Well! After the Balkan War, we are competitors of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This negotiation is likely to end without results!"
...
Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Franz Josef I said flatly, "Did the secret mission of the Bulgarians arrive?"
The attendant replied respectfully: "Your Majesty, they are still in Hungary and they will normally arrive in Vienna tomorrow night!"
"Call the members of the cabinet to discuss!" Franz Joseph I said lightly.
At this time, Minister of Foreign Affairs Metiev and Cabinet Minister Chekov are visiting Hungary for political leaders and seeking support!
"His Prime Minister, does your country really want to turn the Austro-Hungarian Empire into a ternary empire, and one more Slavic Federation will come out to compete with you for resources?" Chekov said with a smile
The Prime Minister of Hungary said with a somber expression: "Mr. Chekov, this seems to have nothing to do with your country! Does Bulgaria intend to interfere in our internal affairs?"
Chekov laughed: "How is that possible? It is only the British and the Germans who can interfere in your internal affairs that are not Bulgarians!
I came to visit you, of course, for our common interests. As long as the interests in this world are consistent, many issues can be cooperated! "
The Prime Minister asked in doubt: "Oh! Mr. Chekov has something to say! What is our common interest?"
Chekov explained: "After the Balkan War, Bosnia and Herzegovina will soon join the family of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Serbia is also in your pocket!
With the joining of these two, your country's status in the empire has declined! And I heard that it now seems that the Austrians intend to merge Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a new kingdom in an attempt to establish a ternary empire! "
The Prime Minister sneered and said, "Fantasy! Their conspiracy will not succeed! The great Hungary will never be on an equal footing with the Serbs!"
Chekov continued to explain: "Of course, with your country's strength, Bosnia and Herzegovina plus the United Kingdom of Serbia are not enough to shake your country's position in the Austro-Hungarian Empire!
But what about Albania and Mentenegrow, or is it bigger? Such as Croatia, Slovenia!
Taken together, these regions formed a kingdom with a population of over 10 million people and an area of more than 200,000 square kilometers. Can your country maintain its detached status now? "
After listening to Chekov's words, the Prime Minister smiled and said, "It turns out that Mr. Chekov's purpose of this visit is Albania! Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do to help this matter!
As for your exaggeration, just bluffing is fine. The Austrians did have that plan, but they had few supporters at all on this issue!
Your Excellency also said just now that common interests are the basis of cooperation, and on this issue, you are the beneficiaries! "
Well, the politicians are all old foxes, and it is difficult to impress them without actual benefits! On the first stop, Chekov hit a soft nail.
Metev's trip was not smooth either, he either dealt with it, or he refused it directly. Hungarians are not enthusiastic about the Balkan issue!
After receiving the news, Ferdinand was relieved. The Hungarians were not interested in the Balkans, which also meant that the possibility of the Austro-Hungarian Empire sending troops to interfere in Bulgaria was reduced!
This is also the fact that Ferdinand was busy in the Balkan War. Ignoring this period, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was actually not peaceful. Many domestic problems were exposed, and Hungary was the worst-hit area for ethnic issues!
In history, in 1897, Austro-Hungarians and the Russians reached a compromise on the Balkan issue. The core factor is that the Austro-Hungarian Empire must handle internal contradictions and the Russians must implement the Far East strategy!
In this context, it is Hungary who has concluded that the Austrians are afraid to engage in a ternary empire now, which will further intensify the national conflicts in the country!
"Tell Chekov that they will continue to work hard and not ask them to support us directly, as long as they can be neutral and not stand up against us!"
...
Chekov finally learned about the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Under the offensive of a large amount of gold and yuan, many resolute opponents suddenly became neutrals, and there were even people who directly marked the price, how much the neutral charges, how much they helped, And there are clear fees for that step!
This series of incidents stunned Chekov and asked, "Mr. Mev, the Ministers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is this how they work?"
Foreign Minister Metiev was used to it, and said with a smile: "Actually, the Austro-Hungarian Empire is not bad. At least these ministers are still a bit disciplined. Not all money is dared to be collected. When it comes to the country's fundamental interests, They are also hard to buy!
If it is the Ottoman Empire, if you can afford it, they dare to sell everything. I heard that the Greeks 'naval guns were partly removed from their warships!
In this respect, only the great empire in the East can rival them. It is said that corruption is legalized, and ransom payments are sufficient! "
Chekov said in surprise: "It seems that I'm so rare and strange, there should be no such people in Bulgaria?"
Megeve said with a smile: "Yes, but they have all joined the railway company. I don't think they can think of it in this life!"
...
After the delegation arrived in Vienna, Ferdinand felt that he had to do something for the Austro-Hungarian Empire and divert their attention!
Soon, a news came about that the Austro-Hungarian Empire would annex Serbia. The Serbian insurgents, which had been in a dormant state, re-emerged again. Now they have changed their name to "Serbian National Liberation Revolutionary Army"!
Three years of strength have been accumulated, and the strength of the revolutionary army has now changed. With the defeat of the Pasir War, contradictions in Serbia were intensified.
The contradiction between the Black and Serbs, and the direct contradiction between locals and outsiders, can be said that Serbia is now a gunpowder barrel. Under this background, the revolutionary army has expanded rapidly like a snowball!
With the experience of the last failure, the leader of the revolutionary army learned a lesson and played directly against the west, specifically jumping over areas where the government's military strength was weak!
Is there still a strong military force in Serbia? With the exception of the Royal Guard, the entire country will never find a second arm!
There is no doubt that the Serbian puppet government appealed to Vienna for help, and they hope to use this opportunity to regain the right to form an army!
After receiving this news, Franz-Joseph I was furious and happy, and the time to annex Serbia was finally ripe! Immediately mobilized five infantry divisions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to go to Serbia to rebel.
Being so troubled by the Serbs, the attitude of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the Albania issue has also changed The Vienna government has stated that it has no time to deal with it, and the Bulgarian delegation has returned so bleakly!
Ferdinand was so angry that, of course, this would certainly block the Austro-Hungarian Empire!
It's okay to send someone to support the Revolutionary Army, but the Bulgarians can't come forward, and the contradiction is not smaller than them and the Austro-Hungarian Empire!
Under the relocation of Bulgarian intelligence personnel, Mentenegrow became their new supporters!
As it happened, Nicholas I also suffered from being surrounded by Bulgaria and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and was unable to break through strategically. The Serbian suddenly came to his door and stirred up his ambition to establish the Kingdom of Montenegro!
At this moment, Mentenegrow had already bordered Serbia. The weak Mentenegrow could no longer satisfy Nicholas I's ambitions, and annexing Serbia became the only option now!
History always has some similarities!
The Serbian Revolutionary Army performed very well. As long as it ousted the Austro-Hungarian Empire and overthrew the dictatorship of Alexander I, it would support Nicholas I as the new king of Serbia and achieve the merger of the two countries!